Of the 25 players on the playoff roster, 17 were developed from start to finish exclusively in the Cardinals’ farm system. To provide perspective, the Giants and Tigers have only nine such players. The Yankees have eight. “For us it’s the way we can have sustained success,” general manager John Mozeliak said.

Former American League Most Valuable Player Jason Giambi will interview for the managerial job with the Rockies — the team he has played with the last three-plus seasons — according to a report in the Denver Post.

The Cubs acquired right-hander Marcelo Carreno from the Tigers to complete the Aug. 5 trade for infielder Jeff Baker.

Braves orthopedic surgeon Dr. Xavier Duralde will surgically repair Brian McCann’s right shoulder on Tuesday afternoon. A specific timetable for McCann’s return will be determined by how extensive this surgery proves to be.

On Monday, Oct. 15, 1962, the Giants hosted the Yankees at Candlestick Park in what was a must-win game for the home team. Exactly 50 years later on a Monday, another 35-year-old Giants hurler took the ball in San Francisco, and although the contest did not represent a must-win scenario, it had the feeling of one for Ryan Vogelsong.

Opening Day at Chase Field is still 167 days away, but it was Opening Night for the Hermosillo Naranjeros of the Mexican Pacific Winter League Sunday night, and that was enough to entice a contingent of D-backs executives to pay a visit to the team that has won more championships than any other.

What the Giants badly needed Monday night was a strong start from Ryan Vogelsong to restore order to the rotation and keep the team from losing the first two games of the best-of-seven series at home and going into St. Louis with urgency verging on desperation. And that’s exactly what they got.

Yes, the Giants hit some balls good in a four-run fourth inning. But they hit enough softly that weren’t right at a fielder to do some real damage.

Two innings after his clutch hit gave the Giants a four-run lead over the Cardinals in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series on Monday night, Marco Scutaro departed the game with a left hip injury.

From “The City By the Bay” to “The Gateway to the West,” from a best-of-seven to, essentially, a best-of-five, the National League Championship Series is shifting. Giants righty Matt Cain opposes the Cards’ Kyle Lohse in Game 3 on Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET on FOX.

One thing that these St. Louis Cardinals do well is turn the page. A game is over, win or lose, and they move on. They don’t look over their shoulder. They look ahead. And they like what they see.

You had to squint a bit, but this looked like 2010, when the Giants used the so-basic-it’s-brilliant blueprint of quality starts to bring this city its first World Series title. Ryan Vogelsong wasn’t around then.

Tom Runnells sounded optimistic about the Rockies’ future after his interview for the vacant managerial post. He feels the team will improve next year with players coming back from injury.

Manager Bruce Bochy said Monday that “it’s fair to say” the Giants are leaning toward starting right-hander Tim Lincecum in Thursday’s Game 4 of the National League Championship Series at St. Louis.

Assuming Giants right-hander Tim Lincecum starts Game 4 of the National League Championship Series, manager Bruce Bochy said Monday that he’d be presented with a choice between Barry Zito and Madison Bumgarner to start Friday’s Game 5, if it’s played.

If you are up 2-0, Game 3 is a chance to drop the hammer, given the frequency (one in 135) with which 3-0 edges are blown. If you are down 0-2, it is the call to avoid that 0-3 fate. And if it is a 1-1 draw, it is for the advantage. So the Giants are in a good place, with Matt Cain set to take the ball Wednesday in St. Louis.

Though Lance Lynn was unable to make it through four innings in his start on Sunday, the Cardinals are not planning to make any changes to their National League Championship Series rotation.